One of the set readings for this Sunday the 14th of June is Psalm 100.
C.S. Lewis once wrote “The most valuable thing the Psalms do for me is to express the same delight in God which made David dance.” Take time today not only to read Psalm 100 but to pray Psalm 100, for this Psalm is an excellent basis for our Prayers of Adoration and Thanksgiving. (Note It is inclusive language – (O be joyful in the Lord, all the earth). It is a Psalm that recognises the importance of knowledge in our faith. What a wonderful and marvellous thing it is to truly know that the Lord is God. To know that we belong to God and that we are held within God’s care.
Such knowledge should naturally lead to action. The psalmist commands that we enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise. Verse 4 reminds us of the very nature of God. “For the Lord is gracious; his steadfast love is everlasting and his faithfulness endures for generation to generation”. These are rich beautiful truths that outlive our lives on earth and truths that are offered to each succeeding generation.
In recent weeks we have not been able to physically enter his gates with praise but hopefully, with the help of others and personal commitment, we have entered into sweet communion with God in a whole host of other ways.
This breath-taking Psalm is not just a hymn of praise for today, it celebrates the God of the past, present and future and reminds us that all of our past history, as well as the future yet to be, is held within the love of God.
Our reading from Exodus is part of the interaction between God and the children of Israel shortly after they were delivered from Egypt. This reading outlines the Covenant that God is proposing. Here too, as in Psalm 100, we witness the innate nature of God; graciousness and steadfast love that is everlasting and faithful endurance.
In our Gospel from Matthew, we are given a bird’s eye view of the mission of the twelve disciples. Initially they are just sent to the Children of Israel. However, by the end of Matthew’s Gospel, the disciples are called to preach the Good News worldwide to all people. Included within the missionary work is care of the sick and giving and receiving of hospitality. In the Epistle reading from Romans, Paul is ever keen to stress the reconciling work of God, stressing that while we were sinners, Christ died for us.
Our work in preaching, teaching, pastoral care, social justice issues and sharing the Good News of Jesus, continues to be the Church’s Mission. Even without a physical building, we have proved in recent weeks that this God given mission continues. The Mission of the twelve is our mission. Remember that the Church in its infancy had no purpose-built meeting places and yet those early disciples knew what is was to Worship, to Pray, to Serve and to love their local communities and in turn the wilder world.
Let us take inspiration from the early followers of Christ, who successfully spread the Good News with no establishment behind them. Let us take inspiration from St. Paul who wants us to grasp the heights of God’s reconciling Love, offered to all and then let us return to Psalm 100 and joyfully proclaim;
“O Be joyful in the Lord, all the earth;
Serve the Lord with gladness, and come before his presence with a Song”
Amen
Rev’d Diane Smith